A pay stub from August indicates that Fletcher, in fact, was paid $220,000 a year in regular salary from the Sorrento Valley company as its senior director of corporate development. A pay stub from October confirms that he took a 75 percent reduction in pay while running for mayor.

Fletcher’s campaign showed the pay stubs to U-T Watchdog, but would not release a copy, allow photographs or detail any stock options. The campaign did provide a blurry photo of its own, to protect the candidate’s personal information.

A blurry image of Nathan Fletcher's pay stubs, as provided by his campaign. U-T Watchdog viewed the documents but did not get a copy.

A blurry image of Nathan Fletcher's pay stubs, as provided by his campaign. U-T Watchdog viewed the documents but did not get a copy.

Questions about Fletcher’s compensation emerged because of the first attack ad in San Diego’s special mayoral election, mailed out this week. It accuses Fletcher of having a “$400,000 no-show job,” based on reports on 10News and KUSI.

Fletcher was a counterintelligence specialist for the Marines in the Iraq war and served in the state Assembly. After he ran unsuccessfully for mayor last year, he was hired by Qualcomm. The company, its owners and employees have given at least $100,000 to his mayoral efforts.

The mailer that raised the question about Fletcher’s job and salary was funded by the conservative Lincoln Club.

The August pay stub shows gross wages of $8,419 and take-home pay of $5,382 for the two-week pay period. It shows year-to-date pay of $139,064.

The October pay stub shows shows gross wages of $2,282 and take-home pay of $1,736 for that two-week pay period. It shows year-to-date pay of $163,903.

“Nathan has been upfront and honest about his salary,” Fletcher campaign spokeswoman Rachel Laing said.

Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs called the ad about Fletcher’s salary “slanderous” and called the salary reported in the ad “grossly exaggerated.”

It’s not clear what stock options Fletcher might have over and above his salary. The campaign has only said that Fletcher has no vested stock benefits. The campaign declined to release his job offer letter from the company, which would spell out such perks.

For its part, the Fletcher campaign questioned if the other top candidates in the race had taken 75 percent pay cuts as well, given that they are public employees. San Diego Council members Kevin Faulconer and David Alvarez are also running in the Nov. 19 special election.

Yes
66% (251)

No
34% (129)

380 total votes.

Alvarez’s campaign dismissed the suggestion, saying he was elected to serve his community and on key city committees and will continue to do so as he runs for mayor. That run, Alvarez spokeswoman Lisa Schmidt said, has meant more late nights.

“He’s working longer hours than ever,” she said.

Faulconer’s campaign said the councilman hasn’t missed a single council meeting while running for mayor.

“Taxpayers elected me to do my job on the City Council, and that’s exactly what I’m going to continue to do,” Faulconer told U-T Watchdog.

Faulconer referenced a criticism levied against Fletcher when he ran for mayor in last year’s general election: That Fletcher, as a member of the California Assembly, missed votes during the 2012 mayoral run.

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“The attack by Mr. Fletcher’s campaign is the height of hypocrisy,” Faulconer said. “Mr. Fletcher missed 74 percent of his meetings when he was running for mayor last year. If Mr. Fletcher feels so strongly about part-time pay and part-time work, he ought to reimburse the taxpayers those dollars.”

Faulconer said that the amount would come to $56,000.

U-T Watchdog has asked Fletcher’s campaign to reply to the counter-demand that he repay his Assembly salary, and has not received a response.

Meanwhile, the Lincoln Club mailed out a second ad this week which criticizes Fletcher for his Assembly and Qualcomm attendance record.

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The Watchdog asked the Lincoln Club whether it will retract or stop using the $400,000 claim now that Fletcher’s actual salary has been documented. Through spokeswoman Erica Holloway, the group said it is not satisfied that salary is Fletcher’s only compensation, and added, “We are not going to disclose our plans for the remainder of the election.”

The club received $25,000 on Sept. 16 from U-T San Diego Publisher “Papa” Doug Manchester.